Another Raindrop in the Sky
by angel-winged0130
Summary: That summer was supposed to be like any other she'd spent at the camp. But, boy was she wrong. Now that Zeus's Lightning's been stolen, will she help those who seek to return it to it's rightful owner and risk revealing the secret of her parentage or will she side with the thief and risk having war destroy Olympus? And to think it was supposed to be just a regular summer...
1. Chapter 1

**AN: so, just to be clear, this isn't the first story I've written but it is the first I've published so I wanna let you know that I'm not afraid of constructive criticism, moreover, I welcome it and really hope you like this story and OC.  
as it is my writing style, I tend to focus almost completely on my OCs so the POV is going to be theirs. I also want to let you know that english is not my native language so I apologize in advance for any spelling or grammar mistakes I make.  
I've also never read any of the Percy Jackson books so this story is going to follow what happens in the movies and the age of the characters is also like it is in the movies. my OC, Merria or Merri, is eighteen during the first movie and nineteen during the second. also, anything that happened in between the movies and is shown in this story is a pure figment of my freaky imagination.  
so guys, review this story, tell me what you think of it so far and I promise I'll try to put the second chapter up as fast as I can. so, with no further ado, I present to you... Another Raindrop in the Sky**

Chapter 1

Merria sighed leaning her head on the window as her mother drove her back to camp. She wasn't sure if it was from the jet lag she was experiencing or the fact that she had to spend another year in this place. Don't get me wrong, the camp was great and she liked it there better than any school she'd gone to so far, but that didn't mean she liked to go to school.

To be honest, she loathed school. The problem wasn't learning, she actually liked that, but the teachers and the other kids there. She had a problem with sitting still for too long so her teachers constantly nagged her about it. It also didn't help that they were so dull, boring and monotonous and she would quickly lose interest in the lessons.

Aside from the teachers who never liked her, the biggest problem were the other students who tended to bully her because of her hair, the fact that she didn't have a father, had attention span problems and could be really jumpy in some situations. The bullying was the real reason she hated going to school.

Nervously, she started fingering the hemline of her navy blue T-shirt with a Pikachu on the front. No matter how old she got, she still loved to watch Pokémon, even had an Umbreon plushy, which was currently safely tucked inside her black backpack. Out of the corner of her eye, Jane, her mom, smiled at her nervousness.

''I'm sure everything will be just fine once we get there, Merri. The cam couldn't have change that much in the last month'', a reassuring look on her face managed to calm Merri's nerves, if only a tad bit.

''That's not the real issue,'' she admitted. '' I'm just worried that the others might start teasing me like kids at school do.'' Merri looked back out the window and saw that they were just close by the camp so she turned back to her mom. '' You can stop right here, I'll walk the rest of the way.''

''Are you sure, sweetie?'' Jane asked while stopping the car. Merri just smiled at her.

''I'm sure, mom. It's not so big of a deal, anyway. The camp is just a 5 minute walk from here, maybe a bit more. Don't worry, I'll be fine,'' she reassured her. She'd walked this road so many times by now that she was sure she knew where every stone, tree and bush stood. In her eyes, there was no reason to panic.

After about 10 minutes of reassuring her mom that she would be perfectly fine going to the camp alone, Merri bid her goodbye, took her sea green suitcase out of the trunk of their car and, without looking back, made her way to the entrance of the camp.

Despite the blazing heat of the August sun, she wore a black leather jacket she got from her Uncle Cole and Aunt Jill for her seventeenth birthday last December.

She also wore dark blue ripped skinny jeans and a pair of her favorite red Converse with neon green laces. On her wrist, there was a golden bronze bracelet she got from her father just after she was born, or so her mom told her, that she never took off. The man may have left them while she was just six months old but that didn't mean she didn't want to have something from him to remember him by.

After her dad left her and her mom, Jane moved back to her parents (they were all still living in Melbourne at that point) and stayed there for about four years. During that time, Jane met an American named Jack Samuels who was living in Melbourne at the time. They started dating and, about two years later, they got married and Merri got a step-father. Not long after, they moved to Seattle with Jack and have been living there ever since.

To Merri, Jack was a nice guy who didn't kiss up to people and who treated her like an adult because he knew she hated being treated like a child. He was never mean to her or tried to rub in the fact her father left her and was great to her mom. And she had to say, the man wasn't hard on the eyes as well.

Despite the fact that her mom and step-dad have been married since Merri was four and a half, Merri never called him 'dad' or anything like that. Her mom asked her about it once, a few years back, and Merri said that it wasn't because she wanted to be disrespectful of Jack, since she really liked him, but because she just can't force herself to call him her father when her real one might be out there somewhere. Merri even apologized to Jack in case he felt offended by this but he just shrugged it off and told her that he doesn't mi d her calling him by his name.

Merri didn't have a big family and she was okay with it, although, there could be about 150 people at the Rafter family reunions. She had her grandparents, Nicholas and Ellen, who still lived in Melbourne and with who she would usually spend at least a month during the summer. Then there was her Uncle Cole, her mom's big brother, his wife, Jill, and their two children, Corey and Sally. They too used to live in Melbourne but moved to Sidney when her uncle got a job offer there.

Trekking through the woods, Merri soon got where she was headed. In front of her stood an arch on which it said 'Camp Half-blood'.

Yes, Merri was a demigod like so many others and she kept it hidden from the world. The only people who knew were her mom, uncle and grandparents. Both Jack and Jill (no pun intended) thought her father was some sort of a Marine or something and that he disappeared on a mission. Merri knew the truth as to not only that her father is a god but also his true identity, something not even her mom knew. Her mom knew her father was a god but she didn't know which one. Merri knew but was warned not to reveal his identity until the right time or she could put herself and her family in danger, so she hid this little piece of information for the last ten years.

Merri had at first attended Camp Half-blood during the summer but started attending if full-time when she turned twelve. She still spent a month or two in the summer with her family and also celebrated birthdays with them.

Due to her solitary personality, Merri didn't have many friends at camp. To be honest, she had none. She usually tended to stay away from people and was a part of the group only when it couldn't be avoided. What can she say; she likes to have her privacy.

Assuming this year would be like all before it, Merri took a deep breath and passed Thalia's barrier thus entering camp grounds. But boy was she wrong.


	2. Chapter 2

**AN: So, here's the second chapter. I have to say that I, most probably, won't be able to update very often due to the fact that my laptop purely refuses to cooperate. Also, there's the fact that my parents don't allow me to write fics because they think it messes with my studying and the fact I really DO have a lot to study since I'm a junior in high school and where I come from that is THE most difficult year of high school. **

**I already have the next two chapters or so written in hand and am currently working on typing them down so it might take a while for my next update. And, I don't know, review if you like or don't. It's the reviews that keep me writing.**

Chapter 2

The first two months back at the camp were completely normal. It was the end of October now; most of the campers were either inside the cabins where it was warm or training outside to keep them warm. Merri just sat on a high tree branch reading her comic book.

She had no desire to spend time with any of the others inside. One time, she had accidentally stayed inside her cabin and fell victim to the ridiculous beauty treatments and gossiping most of the other girls at camp adored. Sure, she liked to get a little pampered like most from time to time but that doesn't mean she is a fan of gossips. For the love of gods, she NEVER EVER wanted to be a part of such a frivolous act of socializing. The last time still haunted her dreams.

From the other side of the camp she could hear sounds of gunshots being fired. It seemed that Luke was playing Call of Duty or whichever shooter game was on the repertoire tonight. On some other nights she would've perhaps even opted on joining him but she just wasn't in the mood for games right now.

Of all the demigods at the camp, Luke was the closest thing she had to a friend. He too was abandoned by his divine father when he was young, but, unlike Merri, Luke held a grudge against the Olympians for not being able to grow up in a real family.

Merri, on the other hand, knew about Zeus' law which forbids all of the gods from contacting their children and completely understood that it was not her father's fault for not being there for her when she was growing up.

If you asked her, the best way to spend a night like this one would be just lying on her bed in her PJs with a fresh batch of popcorn in her lap watching a good movie or reruns of Star Trek. Unfortunately, due to the invasion of the 'Gigglers', she was spending it on a tree. Oh well, that works too.

Merri spent another two or so hours on the tree just listening to the wildlife surrounding the camp lake after she had finished reading her comic. By now, almost all of the campers were deep asleep and she was completely on her own, just like she likes it. With a hidden grin she jumped off the tree landing with grace and made her way toward the pier at the lakeside. Putting her comic aside she took off her black Star Trek zip up hoodie and converse shoes folding the neatly before doing a swan jump in the lake.

Being in the water felt great. Refreshing, to say the least. She could every little movement the surface of the water made. Hear and see almost every living being in the lake. Merri spent about ten minutes gliding through the liquid and, soon enough, there were fishes swimming by her side, doing loops, trying to race her and overall amaze her. She smiled at all of them and joined them in their little games. In one game of hide and seek, she hid swam to the bottom of the lake and hid in the log algae that grew there. Merri felt like a small kid again, giggling so hard it hurt her stomach; playing games and smiling so wide the muscles in her cheeks were straining to keep the grin on.

She wasn't sure when the last time she had so much fun was. Sometimes, on nights like this one, she would go for a jog in the woods or go for a simple swim but she had never done something like this.

It was almost three in the morning when Merri finally said goodbye to her aquatic friends and got out of the water soaked to the bone and grinning like there was no tomorrow. 'I should do this more often', crossed her mind as she scooped up her stuff and stalked her way to her cabin. With every step she made, she left a small puddle on the ground until she was bone dry when she reached the door.

Trying to make no noise, as to not wake her roommates, Merri padded to her bed. She quickly changed into navy blue and red plaid pajama pants and an oversized grey T-shirt with a bulldog's head on the front, brushed out her long messy ginger red hair with black and blonde streaks and snuggled up in her bed, a smile on her face all the time. About five minutes later, she was out like a light dreaming of diving through the depths of the ocean and exploring various coral reefs. Dreams filled with color floating in her mind.

**AN: so, I hope you like this chapter, it was written at** **three am so it's not very long. It's supposed to be a small filler chapter before the plot of the movie begins. There may be another one of these but it should come somewhere later in the story. **

**I am also going to be publishing a new story called 'Forever More'. It's a Hobbit fanfic featuring my OC whose real name is supposed to be revealed near the very end. I already have the first ten and the last chapter all written out just have to find the time to type them down but it doesn't mean I won't find any time to work on this story.**

**Anyhow, I hope you like and leave me a comment in the reviews. If you have anything you want to ask me, don't be afraid to PM me. I am always happy to answer any question thrown at me. And, since this was written on February 14****th****, I wish you all a Happy Valentine's Day!**


	3. Chapter 3

**AN: Well, first of all, I'd like to apologize for not uploading for almost a month. I've been buried under a mountain of homework and exams so I had little to no time at all to read a book let alone sit down and type this chapter down.**

**Second of all, my internet connection's been acting up ever since my brother started playing WoT so there's another reason for not writing.**

**I honestly have no idea when I'll be able to update the next chapter so let's just say it's gonna' be a while.**

**Believe it or not this chapter was written in about two hours. I say I have my current cold and Ed Sheeran to thank for the inspiration. Given that, I'd say if this chapter would have a theme song it would be Ed's **_**You need me, I don't need you.**_

**Like I've said in the last chapter, this is going to be the first chapter to follow the plot of the movie and I can only hope you'll like it. Have a great weekend, like, review and don't catch a cold like I did. Oh, look, Boondock Saints are on! **

Chapter 3

Well, it was official. All the gods were idiots in her mind. How could they think that one of their own would even think of getting their kid to steal _the _Lightning Bolt? From _Zeus _himself, no less. Hell, she knew that even Hades wouldn't think of something like that, and it was a well-known fact that he's always been jealous of his brothers.

When she'd first heard of the whole ordeal, she honestly thought it was some stupid joke. Imagine her surprise when she realized it was all true. Not to mention when she found out from some of her roommates that Percy Jackson, the boy accused of stealing the said Bolt, was currently at camp.

Apparently, he'd had a little run in with a Minotaur in front of the Gates which resulted in his mother being sent to Hades. Not good.

All of this had already gotten her in a bad mood but, to top it all off, Chiron told her that there's no way she'd be able to avoid today's game of Capture the Flag.

So here she was, putting her gear on with a deep frown etched on her tanned face. On the rare occasions she actually took part in the game, she would wear some fingerless gloves, gauntlets and shin pads so she wouldn't badly hurt anyone she hit during the game. Last guy she hit without them got two broken ribs and a badly bruised side. Not her fault, the guy kept coming on to her when she was clearly not interested.

''Ooooh, judging by your face I'm extremely grateful you're on my team,'' said Luke's voice from behind her. ''I'm so sorry for the red tem.'' She could hear the smirk in his voice even without actually seeing him.

''I'm not in the mood, Luke,'' she answered fastening the last straps on her gauntlet.

''Oh, I can see you're not in the mood. I'm just trying to rile you up so you can beat those guys up better.'' She turned to him with a blank look and started following him to the grounds tying her long hair in a high ponytail in the process.

''If, I were you,'' she said ''I'd watch my back on the field. Just because I'm on you team doesn't mean I won't hesitate to pummel you into the ground.'' A small smirk appeared on her lips when she saw him slightly pale. 'This is just too easy,' she thought.

Well, on the bright side, it was sunny today. A small drop of positive in her normal daily sea of negativity. What wouldn't she give to be able to climb on a high tree and snuggle up in its branch with a fantastic view and an even better comic-book? She'd been dying to get some free time to read the newest issue of the Avengers she'd managed to get her paws on. The only problem, so far, was that, in the last couple of days she'd been so busy with her training that she could barely manage to drag her sorry ass back to her bed, let alone stay up long enough to actually read the comic. So, it stayed untouched and packed in a box under her bed. Thinking about it now, she'd have to devise some sort of a plan to hide from Chiron in the next few days because, gods know, she will go all ape-shit on the centaur if she couldn't get to read in the next 24 hours min.

Speaking of the centaur, there he was, talking to some guy she was sure she'd never seen at camp before. The guy had to be Percy Jackson. Sure, she didn't usually care for most of the campers and chose to ignore them completely but that didn't mean she didn't know them. Okay, so she definitely couldn't tell you their names or divine parent but at least she knew they were like her and could recognize them in the outside world if she happened to run into them.

''Looks like the new guy will be joining us in the field today,'' Luke said looking him over before turning to face Merri. ''What do you think, Mer? We take him on our team or give him to the reds?''

Merri turned her attention to the new guy, also looking him over, scanning him in order to decide if they should, in fact, take him on their team. The boy seemed to be around their age, maybe two to three years younger. 'No,' she thought. 'More like only two years younger.' Judging by his built he wasn't built so much for strength but speed. That was good; the other team's members were mostly bulky sons of Ares, Crazy strong but slow both in body and mind. Still, she could definitely tell that he'd never even held a sword in his hands until just recently; bad because he would need all the experience he could get if he wanted to help them to beat the reds. They had the daughter of Athena of all, which said enough about how good their team was.

She was just about to say 'no' to Luke, when she gave the boy a better look. That was enough for her to make her final decision.

''I think,'' she said in an emotionless voice,'' we should take him on our team. He seems like he could be of use.'' She crossed he arms in a matter which told Luke not to ask for any other explanation on the matter. Luke nodded and they approached the boy just as Chiron asked if anyone would take him on their team.

''Hi, I'm Luke, son of Hermes,'' Luke, being the more social of the two, introduced himself first shakin the boy's hand. The boy gave them both a smile.

''I'm Percy, son of Poseidon.'' He then proceeded to shake Merri's hand and she gave him a hint of a smile. She may be mean to most people but she decided to try and be nice to this kid. After all, he did just learn he was a demigod and that must've been taking its toll on him still.

'' Name's Merria, but call me Merri. We know who your father is.'' Merri said in a deadpan tone. '' Most of the camp does too.'' And so commenced the slight humiliation of Percy. Totally not her fault. That had Luke written all over it.

About 20 minutes later, they were in positions and were about to start the game. Luke told Percy to stick to him so he wouldn't get knocked out too quickly. That, and the fact that Luke and Merri usually fought in pair also helped save Percy's ass given Merri's natural talent and almost flawless skill with a sword. Luke often told her she might even be the best in the entire camp. Who knows? Maybe she is.

After the game started it didn't take long for the three to get separated. Merri had decided to stay behind and stall some of the members of the red team in order to give Luke and Percy more time to locate the red flag and, hopefully, capture it before they get their own flag captured or fall into one of Chase's traps. Having a child of Athena just complicated things more for the blue team. Good thing she never liked the girl, since beating her always gave Merri a sense of accomplishment.

Engaged in a fight with four sons of Ares, Merri chose to keep her sword sheathed since fighting these guys bare hand was more difficult, more so given the fact they had swords and she wasn't using hers. Dodging left and right, jumping over and under their blades made her muscles burn in a way only a hard workout could make them. With a few well precise and perfectly forceful hits, two of the boys were unconscious, the other two following suit very quickly.

With a smirk on her face, Merri dusted her hands and ran in the direction she last saw Luke and Percy go. She wasn't as worried for Luke as she was for Percy. Luke was a big boy and could very well take care of himself. Percy, on the other hand, was completely new to all of this, not very skilled in the sword department and she doubted he knew how to use his powers to aid himself. This notion only made her legs pump even harder.

Merri found Percy at the riverbank, the red flag in his arms and the other members of the blue team happily cheering for him. Guess she was wrong; the kid _could_ take care of himself. Judging by the girl's face, it was Annabeth herself he faced.

'Not bad, kid,' she thought. 'Not bad at all.'

With a smile she waved to Luke and started walking back to her cabin. 'And now for a hot shower and some well-earned comic-book time.'


	4. Chapter 4

**AN: So guys, I'm back with a new chapter! It's been a real pain to write since I've been having the worst writer's block so far and couldn't manage to find the time to type it down. I've had it all written out in my notebook for the last week or so. I've also just barely managed to find the time to watch the movie again to refresh my memory so I hope this chapter is more movielike. I think it's the only role in which I HAVEN'T seen Sean Bean die.**

**This is the longest chapter I've written for this story, so far. We also get a little bit more insight into Merri's relationship with Luke and her way of thinking.**

**Anyhow, I'd like to thank you guys for taking the time to read this story, so a big shout-out to you. Just to inform you, I will be expecting some feedback from you, so review guys(virtual cookies to all of you who do)! I hope you like this and if not feel free to let me know.**

**PS: If any of you are any good at drawing and feel interested, you can try and make a cover for this story with Merri on it. PM the links to me and I'll decide on one of them. **

**By the way, has anyone seen the new episode of Game of Thrones? I just did and I think it was awsome, as is the rest of the show. Honestly can't decide if I like the books more than I love the show.**

Chapter 4

And, of course, there was a party thrown later that night. Like she was gonna attend it, hah! No, she wasn't sociable, or likable, enough to try and mingle with the other campers. A hot shower and a comic-book, all she ever needed. No matter how much Luke begged her to come, she wasn't going to bend. 'Let them party all they want! All I need is a little peace and quiet,' she would say.

Merri was sitting up on her branch, like always, reading. Surprisingly enough, it wasn't a comic she was reading but rather a book. Not just any book, of course, she had taste in literature. She was reading Mary Shelly's _Frankenstein_, the book was just so good she hadn't had the heart to leave it back home. Her mane of hair was still wet from her shower since she decided to leave it to dry naturally, a decision she knew she would most likely regret later on when it starts to curl messily.

From her vantage point, she could both see and hear the party going and it sounded like the others were having really good time. That is until an unexpected guest appeared...

_Hades..._ 'Why, of all the gods, did it have to be Hades?' the question repeating itself in her mind like a broker record. It was beginning to grate on her nerves, to be honest. But still, she would've expected some of the lesser gods to come and request the Lightning, but why did it have to be _Hades_? Actually, now that she thought about it, it should've been more surprising how long it took him to make an appearance in the first place. Nevermind, she will have to think about it later. Now, she had more pressing issues to take care of. Like, making sure that Percy doesn't get himself killed 'cause she was 100% sure he would be trying to get his mother back one way or another. At least, that's what she would do.

''What's with the bag?'' Luke asked her without breaking eye contact with the video-game he was playing as she strolled into his cabin. She had already gone back to her own cabin and packed her bag so she could go with Percy and help him, whether he wants it or not. She also changed her clothes and now wore a black T-shirt with 'Keep calm and join the Dark Side' written on it along with a small Darth Vader helmet above the letters, a pair of black cargo pants, her converse and a red plaid hoodie jacket tied around her waist. Sometimes Luke knew her to well, but she would never admit it out loud.

''The new kid's gonna come asking for your help in getting to the Underworld, so I thought I'd tag along and make sure he doesn't get himself killed,'' she said taking a seat next to him, her ,now curled up, hair partly hanging over her eyes and covering her face. Luke just smirked at her response.

''You know,'' he teased. ''If I didn't know better I'd say you actually care for what happens to the boy.'' She just shrugged.

Merri could hear them coming long before they announced themselves. She was surprised to see Annabeth with Percy and Grover but she wouldn't argue since she knew how much of a great fighter the girl was. Luke, however, didn't look up from his game even when Annabeth spoke to him. She swore the guy was a total game junky.

''Hey guys,'' he said after glancing at them while Merri simply waved at them. ''Percy, figured you'd stop by sooner or later'' 'Idiot! I told you they were coming myself,' Merri thought. ''Everybody does. Get away from all that... renaissance fair stuff out there, you know. '' Luke paused his game and got up. ''But, uh... Welcome to the modern world.''

The sentence did have sense since Luke's cabin had more modern tech in it than the entirety of the camp combined. Grover was looking it all over with an approving expression on his face muttering to himself.

''What are you guys up to?'' Luke asked. Without surprise, it was Percy who answered.

''We're going to get my mom back.''

''Your dad is the messenger of gods,'' Annabeth continued. ''One of the only ones who's gotten in and out of the Underworld. Do you've any idea how?'' Merri looked at Luke to see him actually thinking about it.

''My dad's a jerk. I've never met him.'' She could see the slightly haunted look in his eyes. It bothered him as much as it would any kid without a parent. She knew well enough what it's like to never know your father. Percy, though, seemed a little surprised about this piece of information.

''You too?'' he asked.

Merri scoffed. ''Welcome to the club, kid,'' she said. Luke simply shrugged.

''Guess we all got 'daddy issues', huh? That's because all gods are the same: selfish. They only care about themselves. But I once broke into my dad's house, got some cool stuff.''

Luke showed them a dusty old shoebox. Merri could remember the day she had first seen that box, like ti was yesterday. It was also the day Luke showed her how to fly with the shoes that were in that box. It was probably the most fun she'd ever had in her life, even if she managed to break her right arm when she crash-landed. She smirked at the astounded looks on the gang's faces when Percy opened the box and one of the shoes started hovering in front of them. Luke went on to explain.

''My dad's. He's got hundreds of these little guys. Won't even miss him. Look underneath the other one,'' he instructed Percy who then took out a map to the Underworld. ''You see, people have gone to the Underworld before without having to be dead. Hercules did it. Orpheus did it. My dad does it all the time. Getting in is the easy part. Getting out, now that's a little tricky. This is a map to Persephone's pearls,'' He pointed at the map.

''Persephone?'' Percy asked. ''You mean Hades' wife?''

''Yeah, he forced her to marry him,'' Annabeth answered. ''He keeps her prisoner.''

''Needless to say she hates it there,'' Merri said in a deadpan tone. ''The place is hot, he's a weirdo... So, she has...''

''Secret visitors,'' Luke finished. ''She's hidden pearls for them all over the world. The pearls, they provide a quick escape from the Underworld. You could use them to get out.''

''So, how do the pearls work?'' Grover asked.

''Easy,'' Merri answered. ''You take a pearl, step on it and crush it, visualize where you wanna be taken. Right now there's three pearls in the United States.''

''This map will guide you there, alright.'' Luke started pointing on the map: ''Here, there's your first location.''

''Aunty Em's Garden Emporium, huh?'' Grover read.

''Once you find the first pearl, the map will show you the next one, and the next one, and then you're off to Hades.''

''One thing though,''Merri started. ''I'll be coming with you guys.'' The answer form them was unanimous.

''WHAT!?''

She proceeded to explain herself: '' I'll only be coming to make sure you get the pearls and go into Hades in one piece. There's no knowing what's waiting for you out there. I won't be able to come into Hades with you but I will be waiting for you at the entrance to Olympus when you get out.''

Reluctantly, they agreed to let her come with them. All the while Luke stood, watching them with an amused look on his face which Merri found very suspicious. ''Which reminds me,'' he started while giving Percy his shield. ''You might need some extra protection. My favorite shield. You might wanna take a step back,'' he instructed Annabeth and Grover as Percy put the shield on his arm. A small 'Woah' escaped Grover as the shield opened to its full size.

''Thanks Luke'' Percy said with a smile.

''Don't mention it. But, I... You're gonna have to promise me one thing.'' They all looked at him with expectant looks on their faces. ''You see my dad on the highway to hell... Kick his ass for me,'' he said with a smile.

Merri then rose from her seat, taking her bag, and hugged Luke. She wasn't usually one for hugging but she had her moments and there was a possibility of her dying in the near future, so she went against herself and hugged him. He was, after all, her best and only friend here.

''Don't do anything stupid 'till I get back, 'kay?'' she teased. They said their goodbyes and she left the cabin with Percy, Grover and Annabeth. Still, something continued to plague her mind but she wasn't sure what it was. Nevermind, she didn't have time to dwell on that.

-~-ARITS-~-

They took the bus to the first pearl. It probably would've been a quiet ride if the others weren't so interested in her. Since she never really socialized with anyone, besides Luke, none of them really knew anything about her. And so they took it upon themselves to question her all the way long. After about 5 minutes it strated to feel like she was being interrogated for a murder investigation.

''So Merri,'' Percy asked ''where are you from?''

Staring out the window she answered:'' I'm from Seattle.''

''Really? You don't sound like you're from there. More like you're from Australia or something.''

She didn't know why, but she felt like she could trust him so she had no problem answering his questions. ''I was actually born in Melbourne but I moved to Seattle when my mom remarried when I was four. I still have the accent because I spend every summer with my grandparents back there.'' She absently started to fiddle with her bracelet, the only thing she had from her real father, as she thought of that. ''My step-dad's name is Jack'' She continued. '' He's a PR manager in some firm and his job requires a lot of traveling and that's how he and my mom met. He's been really good to us both and has never had a problem with me not calling him 'dad'.''

It was the longest answer she gave to them until the end of the ride. A ride she was all too happy to get off from since they had somehow gotten the idea that she had a crush on Luke. 'Like that would ever happen' she told herself.


End file.
